COMMONWEALTH NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 17 June 1920, Page 30

COMMONWEALTH NOTES

NEW SOUTH WALES. The General Chapter of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart will assemble in Rome on August 15. The Australian delegates, Very Rev. Fathers A. Per•kins (Provincial), Rev. Fathers M. D. Forrest and M. Smith, left recently by the Naldera. Father Perkins, and his fellow-delegates are Australians, and were educated at the Sacred Heart College, Kensington. The Hon. E. A. McTiernan, M.L.A. (AttorneyGeneral, N.S.W.), is an old boy of the Christian Brothers’ High School, Lewisham. Speaking at the ceremony of blessing additions to that school by the Very Rev. M. J. O’Reilly, C.M., recently, the Minister said he was pleased that his first appearance in public life since his elevation to the Ministry was under the shadow of the great school in which he spent many happy hours of his youthful days, and in the presence of so many of his old schoolmates. The present school at Lewisham was equal to the best secondary school in the State, and was merely the base of the great superstructure that was to follow. “I strongly protest at this my first public appearance,” continued the Attorney-General, “against the martial law that is being so rigorously enforced in Ireland to-day. No democracy will allow itself to be bludgeoned into submission by martial law. Take the soldiers out of Ireland, and a speedy settlement would follow.”

VICTORIA. It is time someone started a Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Princes (says the Freeeman’s Journal). The young scion of nobility now resting his weary limbs in Victoria presents a pathetic figure of a persecuted race. From all accounts the young man seems anxious to carry out his royal part, but he has found the Melbourne saturnalia too much of a good thing, even if he can shelter himself behind the British bulwarkwhatever that is. Young Edward pleaded to the pressmen to appeal to the public not to put him in the front row of the scrum—or words to that effect. He has two hands, it is true, but they have been pumped more these last weeks than the parochial pump. One is out of action, and the left threatens to strike in sympathy. It is a pity Mr. Hughes cannot brine his loved War Precautions Act into operation and safeguard the young Prince. Rarely have circumstances painted such a contrast as that witnessed in the public attitude towards two men, directly opposed for several years, and both appearing in • the public arena within the same few days fsavs the Melbourne Tribune). The one held the press and parliament and the wealth of the nation behind him, and mightily did he use them. His bitter tongue, his War Precautions Act, his scurrilous election literature, his prisons and fines and internments, his intolerance of opposition or of contradictionwhat a course did they not run ! The other played a lone, solitary hand, unaided and condemned and attacked by a combined press. Yet his fearless criticism, his clear, logical words, his unperturbed good humor, and biting home-thrusts won for him admirers where he could not hope for openly declared friends. Fie leaves the city with the farewells of hundreds of thousands, many weeping and refusing to let him go. The political trickster, in a setting of his own, with royalty his favorite game and loyalty his trump card to help him, is overwhelmed with confusion and derision. To be publicly hooted in a car following immediately after the Prince of Wales in a royal progress through an Australian city is certainly a rare performance that will probably not be eclipsed in a hundred centuries. In this, Mr. Hughes has achieved a transcendant performance, but one which probably he did not aspire to. The performance is all the more unique because the air still holds the echoes of the cheering throngs that tried to prevent

the temporary departure, of ; the valiant prelate, who sought only freedom of speech and thought for all Australians.

QUEENSLAND. The Executive of the Southern Queensland ; District of the Hibernian-Australasian Catholic Benefit Society entertained the deputies to the National Quadrennial Conference of . the Society to dinner on Thursday night, May 27. The chair was occupied by the Hon. J. F. Donovan, M.L.C.. (District President), and he was supported at the principal table by (among others) his Grace the Archbishop of Brisbane, Right Rev. Mgr. O’Hax-an (Sydney), and Rev. M. Lane (Adm. St. Stephen’s Cathedral). In. responding to the toast of “The Archbishop and Clergy,” his Grape Archbishop Duhig, who received an ovation on rising, said he felt deeply grateful to them. He had been away from home for a fortnight, and had to leave again that night for Rockhampton, where, on Sunday, he would lay the foundation stone of what would be probably the finest school in Queensland. His regret was that he had not been able to show the deputies around Brisbane, as he would like to have done. He was very proud of Brisbane and its Catholic institutions, and he hoped that on the next occasion when they visited Brisbane he would be able to show them around. They had finished the important part of their business, but he would like to say that the Hibernian Society should be much more than a benefit society. The society was one of the bulwards of the Church, and the heart and soul of the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations ia. every State. He would like to see in connection with it a literary society, so that they, might have a revival of some of the grand old Irish and religious plays in their midst; and he thought the folk lore of Ireland should become one of the objects of their society. They should foster the study of Irish folk lore. One of the objects should be to transplant to this country some of the best traditions and customs of their race. They had behind them a history of which they could be really proud. Australia was a young country that had not any traditions of her own, and she had to look to the land of the fathers of her pioneers to get the best that was in political and religious life. Australia would be the better for more Irish culture and more Irish customs and life, because they blended well with Australian life. The Hibernians could do a great deal in the direction he had indicated. He regretted very much having to leave them so early, but he had to go. He was glad that the delegates had enjoyed themselves so well, and he wished their great society every success.

TASMANIA. The Chancellor of the Tasmanian University (Hon. Tetley Grant, M.L.C.), during the cohrse of his address at the celebration of the annual commemoration of the University, recently, paid a graceful and glowing tribute to Father Thomas Kelsh, P.P., of Westbury. lie said : “I mention with deepest regret the retirement from the council, through failing health, of our valued friend and adviser, the Rev. Father Kelsh. He was the only member of the original council of 1890 who still retained his seat in 1919. He had been a member of the Council of Education, the functions of which the University assumed. His name is identified, with culture, liberal thought, and kindliness. The progress of education has been a source of great happiness to him, and we trust that he will long be spared to watch its continuance.”